


The Crest Carver: Ascension

by Ruunkur



Series: Under The Changing Skies [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: There's probably additional tags but I'm coming up Blank, no beta we die like Glenn, to be updated - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:09:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26160907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruunkur/pseuds/Ruunkur
Summary: Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Detective for the Fodlan Police Department, has been working on a number of strange murders. Bodies turn up with symbols, meanings lost to Fodlan's dark and murky history, carved into their skin.With his partner, Claude von Riegan, they thought they made a break in the case. With the murderer safely behind bars, they relax in their three months of peace. Only to have more bodies and more headaches turn up.Choose your own ending: Ascension
Relationships: Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Claude von Riegan
Series: Under The Changing Skies [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800394
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. Interrupting A Ritual

**Author's Note:**

> And here we go!
> 
> Ending one: Ascension
> 
> The two endings will be posted at the same time. You do not have to read both, you are more than welcome to, however! They should be relatively short, four chapters each.

The chanting broke behind him, Rhea jerking the knife out of Felix’s chest at the interruption. He gasped as he forced his eyes open, pain spiking to see a lance piercing Rhea’s shoulder.

Her eyes flared in anger, drawing herself to her feet as the spirits broke rank, Sylvain moving to draw Felix into his arms. Dima screamed behind him, Byleth pulling their sword free and throwing it. Dima jerked backwards as the whip caught his arm, the other spirits joining in on the chaos of the scene.

An explosion rocked the cathedral and he only caught a glimpse as Byleth pulled Dima close with his sword, a dagger glimmering in their free hand.

Felix grunted in pain as Rhea screamed after them. In the haze, he couldn’t tell what was going on. Not until the cathedral doors burst open and Felix was being dumped in someone else’s arms, a weapon flying into Sylvain’s grip.

“Lysithea knows the plan, get him to her!”

A flash of red overtook Felix’s vision as Hapi appeared, pressing fabric to his chest. The arms that had a hold of him now moved, their ownerwincing and apologizing with every jarring movement. His hand tried to grip at the shirt of the person who was holding him, fingers slipping with every second.

The man holding him cursed, ramming his shoulder through a door. There were several curious looks before screaming echoed down the hall, screens above them shattering.

“Lysithea!”

“What-”

Felix closed his eyes against the impact, feeling himself be handled roughly. His chest ached, blood steadily pouring out. There was a moment’s hesitation and then a flash of healing light floated over his body, slowing the bleeding to a few painful pulses.

“Sylvain talked to you, didn’t he?”

“Yes, but-”

Felix felt himself drop into unprepared arms, his knees hitting the ground. He let out a grunt as he reached out, gripping onto Balthus’s shoulder.

“What,” he gritted out through the haze of pain and poison, “is going on?”

Balthus steadied him, Lysithea under one arm as they began to hobble. Felix leaned more against Lysithea than he wanted to admit, pain echoing each step. He almost wanted to beg for another douse of healing magic but couldn’t bring himself to form the question.

“We need to get you out of here before she kills you,” Balthus hissed, stirring them the right way. “Lysithea is going to get you to the top.”

“What-” he tried again and winced as a screech overtook the sanctuary.

A screen above them burst and Balthus cursed, hurrying them towards a side wall. He slammed his fist into the panel, watching it flash alive.

“You need to get out of here!”

Felix flinched as he and Lysithea were shoved into the room, Lysithea letting out a cry. She moved to hit a panel on the inside but light flashed above them, the movement causing Felix to retch.

They stumbled into a clearing, the call of a police siren making Felix waver. Lysithea’s grip on him slipped and he crashed into the ground, the ice cold grip washing over him once more. He heard Lysithea shout something, a rumbling overtake the ground and then darkness followed, drifting him away.

~*~*~*~*~

Claude burst through the door, Edelgard turning to look up as Ingrid dropped several papers, blinking in surprise.

“What-” Ingrid began.

“Please, you don’t-” Edelgard started.

“They found Felix.” His statement caused both of the women to fall silent, each staring at Claude in confusion.

Edelgard was the first toe move, taking in Claude’s appearance. “If they arrested-”

“He’s in critical condition at the hospital. They don’t know if he’ll live. Another woman was found with him.”

Edelgard scooted the chair back, standing up. “When did this report come in?”

“It was over radio chatter, twenty minutes ago. I swear to god, Edelgard, if sending him down there got him-”

“We didn’t send him down there!” Edelgard snapped, eyes flashing as she cut him off.

“If he dies-” Claude took in a breath, placing his hand on the desk. “If Felix dies because of this-”

“It will be more blood on my hands, I understand.” Edelgard met Claude’s gaze, narrowing her eyes. “What hospital is he at?”

“Sunrise. They’re not even sure if he’ll live.” Claude drew in a breath, letting it out. Ingrid stood up from her own chair, a fire in her gaze.

“Let’s go then.”

Edelgard nodded, straightening her jacket and picking up her car keys. “We’ll go wait for him. Is he in surgery?”

Claude shook his head, gaze uncertain. “Like I said, I just picked up some radio chatter. He’s still listed as wanted, so they will be sending a police force after him.”

“Very well. Let’s go.” Edelgard strode out of the office, Ingrid and Claude following. The drive to the hospital was quiet, Claude watching the houses pass them by, his knee bouncing. Ingrid leaned forward in her seat, placing a hand on Claude’s shoulder.

“Felix is going to be okay.”

Claude drew in a breath. He didn’t respond, the ride to the hospital short and tense. They took up a spot in the waiting room, Edelgard speaking briefly with the receptionist before she turned, standing next to them.

“He is currently in surgery.”

“How did you-” Claude began, Edelgard giving him a shake of her head.

“His father will be here soon as well. He was told as soon as he arrived.” Edelgard glanced over as a young woman shook off a nurse, growling at her.

“I don’t need a doctor! Get off me!”

The nurse said something else, Edelgard walking over to the commotion.

“Is there something wrong?” she asked, glancing from the nurse to the young woman.

The nurse let out a sigh. “This young lady was brought in with the other patient, however she insists that she does not need medical attention.”

“And I told you I don’t! Goddess, I just need to make sure Felix-”

“Felix as in Felix Fraldarius?” Edelgard cut in, ignoring the exasperated look the nurse gave her.

The other woman nodded, her eyes lighting up. “Yes! Sylvain had ensured his safety with me. And I can’t do that if-”

“You’re from the Underground.”

The woman snapped her jaw shut, leveling a glare at Edelgard. “So what?” she demanded after a moment, tilting her head.

Edlegard shook her head. “My name is Edelgard Hesvrelg. I am a friend of Felix’s. Myself and his other friends are over there if you would like to join us.”

The woman glanced from the nurse to Edelgard, sticking her tongue out at the nurse before she strode to where Ingrid and Claude were sitting. Edelgard turned to look at the nurse with an apologetic smile. The nurse threw up his hands, letting out a sigh.

“Just make sure she doesn’t cause any trouble, please.”

Edelgard nodded, smiling at him. “Of course.”

She turned back to Claude and Ingrid, watching as the new addition made herself comfy in the seat.

“So, who are you?”

The woman tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “My name is Lysithea von Ordelia. I am a mage of the Inner Circle.”

Edelgard nodded, gaze flicking over to Ingrid. “And how do you know Felix Fraldarius?”

Lysithea blinked at her, her face falling just a fraction of an inch. “He was a guest of Lady Rhea’s.” Her gaze skittered to Ingrid, watching her tense. “I know you, don’t I?”

“I don’t-”

“You’re the girl that used to hang out with Dima all the time, aren’t you?” Lysithea asked with a snap of her fingers.

Ingrid nodded, her jaw tense as she looked across the way to Lysithea. “I guess so.”

“We were told you were dead.”

Ingrid stared at her. “Who would-”

“Dima thought it would be fun to go find you, so Felix told him you were dead. Sylvain said Dima was pissed for a few days about it.” Lysithea hesitated, “though I suppose that was just another lie by the detective. You being dead, not Dima being pissed.”

“How did you end up here with Felix?” Edelgard asked, stepping into the conversation. She fixed her gaze on Lysithea, the woman rolling her eyes.

Lysithea looked up as Claude spoke, blinking at him. “Well, Balthus threw Felix and myself in the warp room. I’m guessing he locked in the location to send us to some clearing and then we were surrounded by a bunch of cops. They took myself and Felix here by ambulance.”

“What happened with Felix?” Claude asked, gaze locked on Lysithea.

She let out a huff, shaking her head. “The generals said that the spirits and Lady Rhea were away for a private ceremony. I don’t really know what they were doing, but there was a bunch of roaring, like a dragon, and Balthus came out of the chapel entryway with a bleeding Felix in his arms. Felix was able to get to his feet briefly before we got to the surface.” Lysithea flicked her hair over her shoulder, fixing Claude with a stare. “What, are you three police or something?”

Claude and Edelgard exchanged a look, Ingrid offering her a pleasant smile. “Yes, we are.”

“Ugh, I shouldn’t be talking to you.” Lysithea looked away, staring at the receptionist.

Edelgard raised an eyebrow, glancing at Ingrid. “We understand that the Underground doesn’t have the best impression of us…”

“Talk about the worst,” Lysithea scoffed, “there are people who don’t even think you’re real. You know, kids who were born underground and think this up here is all fake.”

“But you don’t,” Ingrid murmured, “why is that?”

Lysithea froze, gaze sliding to her. “Well, obviously I know more things than your average Underground born person.”

“You used to live up here, didn’t you?” Claude asked.

Lysithea narrowed her eyes, turning on Claude. “Do you take me for some sort of child?” she demanded, “I’m not going to tell you anything just because you say stuff like that.”

Edelgard sighed, breaking into the argument before it could get further. “We care deeply for our friend, Lysithea. That’s the only reason we’re asking so many questions. Can you tell us anything about what happened?”

Lysithea bit her lip, shaking her head. “I’m not going to talk to you. I don’t know you.”

Edelgard nodded. “Very well. We are going to request that you wait with us until Felix is out of surgery and in recovery.”

Lysithea sighed, settling in her chair once more. “Whatever.”

~*~*~*~*~

Felix blinked in the murkiness, turning his head to see the boat he had seen before. He lifted a hand, watching the apparition blink at him. He frowned, tilting his head.

“Where the fuck am I?”

“Well, it seems like you got into a bit of trouble again, huh?"

Felix squinted, trying to lift his head out of the river. The shadowy man sighed, bending down and offering Felix a hand.

There was a retort on the tip of his tongue but Felix held the comment in, looking the man over.

“Will you let me help you?”

Felix drew in a breath. “Who are you?”

The man lifted a hand to his chest, pressing it there for a moment before he shrugged, his eyes changing from brown to green while his hair shimmered, turning shades darker before it grew lighter once more.

“I am of time and life itself.” The figure winked, stopping in the form of a young woman, green hair braided back.

“So, you’re death.”

The woman huffed, shaking her head. “No, I’m a being of time and the beginning. Death is but a beginning of life. Each moment you step forward, you’re stepping backwards. Every time you look back, you see the future. Neither is without the other, Felix Hugo Fraldarius.”

“Before, you… wore-”

The woman nodded, bowing her head. “I appear in the form you most desire. It is to ease you onto the next path. Last time, you refused my assistance.”

“Weren’t you the one that told me it was okay to let go?”

The woman laughed, drawing a hand up to her cheek before she let out a huff. “You choose to go back. I can only assist if you choose to let go. Do you know what happened?”

“Rhea was flaying me alive.”

The woman grimaced, her face falling even as she spoke. “The poison was eating you from the inside out. Acid is strange that way. It was how Fraldarius died.”

Felix shuddered, realizing he was now sitting in the river rather than drowning. He moved to stand, the water tugging around his ankles. The boat was resting on the bottom of the river now, the woman shaking her head.

“And, as time flows, it also fades.”

“Wait-”

The woman stopped, glancing over at Felix. She smiled at him, eyes dancing. “You want to return, don’t you?”

Felix frowned. “Who are you?”

She squinted an eye at him, turning on her heel to stare at him. “Did my idiot of a daughter teach nothing despite the disasters that she has risen in the previous years?”

Felix clapped a hand over his ear, wincing as the woman drew in a breath.

“I am Sothis, mother of the Nabateans.”

“You’re…” Felix removed his hand from his ear, staring at Sothis.

She slumped her shoulders, eyes going soft. “I wanted a sanctuary so my children would not be prosecuted. I built a place that we would be in peace, while more of our kind flourish! What did they do the moment I was dead? They started a war and slaughtered each other. Four hundred thousand Nabateans, dead! Over a useless war when they could have lived in harmony. The Underground is massive! It was a work of art, and it’s ruined.” Sothis lifted a hand to her heart, closing it around the fabric. “And she fights even now, unwilling to learn when enough is enough.”

“Why did she do it?”

Sothis grimaced. “Perhaps that was my fault. When I lay dying, I understood the hunger that resided in Seiros. It ran deep and tainted her blood. She wanted to dominate the humans, show them the might of the Nabateans and I denied her. I knew I was dying, my magic was depleted, building our sanctuary. Of all the Nabateans, Cethlean was the most level-headed. I named her my successor. I believe that is when Seiros broke. She thought it a betrayal, whereas others thought it a safer path.”

“She killed everyone, after you died.”

“Yes, and I had the horrible ability to watch everything unfold but be unable to stop it.” Sothis stepped forward, placing her hand on Felix’s chest. “You should not have been harmed, child. Your pains are my pains.”

Felix opened his mouth to protest, the ache in his chest growing worse when Sothis touched it. “What are you-”

“Go back, Felix. May you recover swiftly!”

Felix stumbled as the woman pushed him, his foot twisting in the water.

He jerked awake, white clouding his vision as he gasped, pain flaring through his chest. Something beside him was blaring and he wanted to reach out and smack it, but he was bound and-

He blinked upwards as white greeted him. He wasn’t sure what time it was, only that the swirls of frantic blurs were no longer surrounding him. He turned his head when the steady beep pierced his thoughts, making him squint.

“Oh, are you awake?”

Felix turned his head away from the machine, staring at the figure in the door.

He opened his mouth, the woman stepping forward and shaking her head, turning up the lights in the room. “You gave everyone quite the scare, Mr. Fraldarius.”

He blinked at her, frowning. The pain in his chest was still there, dull underneath the layers of cotton shoved in his head.

“When you came in, you were nearly dead. You were poisoned, crashing with several of your organs on the verge of shutting down. Not to mention just how much blood you had lost, between the time that you sustained those injuries and when you showed up at our hospital. My name is Doctor Mercedes Von Martritz. It took quite some time to stabilize you and we had to bring you back twice.”

She walked to the other side of Felix, taking in his vital signs.

“You were in a medically induced coma until two days ago. You arrived to me three weeks ago. I am very glad you survived. Your family keeps your room occupied during the visiting hours. You are very loved and very lucky.”

Felix swallowed, his eyes slipping shut as Mercedes adjusted something. She turned to smile at him, eyes dancing in the lights.

“Rest well, Felix.”

He tried to form the question into words before the lights dimmed and he was left alone.

~*~*~*~*~

“I’m in a hospital bed, not dying. Get off me-”

Felix tried to push Claude away, one hand on his face as the man leaned over the bed, tears in his eyes.

“That is an understatement, Fraldarius.” Edelgard stepped into the room, watching as Claude let Felix push him back, smirking at him.

“Don’t get too rambunctious now, otherwise the nurse will kick you out.” Rodrigue looked up from his sudoku book, his reading glasses slipping down his nose. Claude blinked at him, straightening up further as Edelgard rolled her eyes.

“Well, I’m not nearly dying now.” Felix corrected with a roll of his eyes, staring up at the ceiling as Edelgard sighed. He was sitting up more today, the ache in his chest coming and going. It was nearly healed now, after six weeks of being under treatment.

He was even able to walk again, though he was slow at it, retraining his body how to move.

This would be the first time he had seen any of his friends since he had woken. The first few days had been a blur, Felix slipping in and out of realities. During the less lucid moments, he could swear he felt a phantom heartbeat in his chest, just a faint movement before he faded out of existence.

He wasn’t sure, when the monitor sometimes beeped twice instead of once, what to think. When he made a comment on it, no one else was able to pinpoint the strange malfunction. He had bit back his complaints after that, worried that something was still wrong.

“I’m glad you’re alive.” Claude drew his attention to Felix, a smirk pulling at his lips. “I would hate to have to train a new partner.”

Felix grimaced, glancing away from the piercing gaze that Claude gave him. “I’m not… going back.”

Claude sighed, glancing up at the ceiling. “I know you aren’t. But, I can still joke.” He winked at him, Felix huffing.

“It is good to know that you’re recovering. We were worried when we heard about the state you had been found in.” Edelgard shuffled from her spot by the door, moving to take a seat on the other side of the room. Rodrigue glanced from Claude to Edelgard, tucking his sudoku book into his bag.

“I’m going to grab lunch in the cafeteria. I’ll be back.” He got up, leaving the room. Felix let his head fall against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.

“Do you remember what happened?”

Felix glanced at Edelgard, studying her features as Claude took the seat Rodrigue had left. He considered the question, looking back up at the ceiling.

“Yeah, I do. Do you want an official report?”

Edelgard let out a laugh. “I don’t think an official report will be needed.”

Felix gave her a look, frowning.

“Well, after your return, all of the entryways into the Underground collapsed. Communication was effectively cut off and-” Edelgard began, shifting her weight.

“Ferdinand’s dead.”

Edelgard frowned, narrowing her eyes. “I do believe you’re mistaken.”

“I saw-” Felix glanced at Edelgard, gaze shifting to Claude. “Before Rhea tried killing me, we found his… body.”

“Ferdinand evacuated the Underground two months ago. He has been above ground ever since.”

“So, he escaped.”

Edelgard nodded. “If you want confirmation yourself, he did ask to see you. Rodrigue has been keeping the numbers limited-”

“And what about Lysithea?” Felix demanded, “did she go back under?”

Edelgard shook her head. “Do understand, it’s still an ongoing case, so you didn’t hear this from me. At this time, it looks like an earthquake devastated the Underground, collapsing any known entryway to the city. Hanneman Essar disappeared two days’ prior to the collapse. His wife, Manuela Casagranda, has no clue as to his current whereabouts. She did take Lysithea in when the woman was released with a clean bill of health. You, Ferdinand, and Lysithea were the last people able to make it above ground.”

Felix sucked in a breath, listening to the statement. He met Edelgard’s gaze, pressing his mouth into a line. “I see.” He shifted on the bed, laying his hands in his lap. “And they assume everyone else is dead?”

“Yes.”

Felix sighed, shifting once more. He reached behind him, Claude standing and walking over.

“Need a pillow?”

Felix hesitated, glancing from Claude to Edelgard. “I’m fine. If there’s anything else-”

“You’re off the case, Fraldarius. As of right now, all of the charges have been cleared against you, but I cannot give you any more information. I’ll make sure Feridnand knows that you’re up for visitors.”

Claude hovered at the edge of his chair, watching Felix before he sat down, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s… good to know he made it out alive.”

“Rest assured, Ferdinand is alive and… well, he’s not completely well, but he’s in a much better state than you are. At some point, when you have been released from the hospital, we will need a statement from you regarding your time under. And how you were injured. Would you like to see him before that?” Edelgard watched him, Felix tilting his head back.

“Did Ferdinand tell you that Rhea was trying to resurrect her family?” Felix lifted a hand, placing it on his chest with a frown. The faint second heartbeat could be heard now, louder than usual and he glanced at the monitor, watching his own heart beat singularly on the device.

He didn’t know if he wanted anyone else to see him like this.

Edelgard hesitated but she nodded. “That was… a speculation Ferdinand had, yes.”

“She found a way to… use other people in order to bring back their… spirits or whatever. Linhardt was down there, I talked to him a few times.” Felix grimaced, closing his eyes as Edeglard’s gaze snapped to him.

“Okay…”

“She was killing people in order to do it. But-”

“But you said you saw Linhardt.”

Felix gave Edelgard a glare, closing his eyes and taking in a breath. “I did see him. Some of the spirits co-existed with their hosts. Some of the spirits were dormant unless needed, and sometimes, the host just got the abilities of the spirit and the spirit… didn’t actually interact with anything outside of the host’s mind.”

“Dimitri.”

Felix opened his eyes, staring at Edelgard. “And Glenn. If I hazard a guess, they were her first attempts at bringing back her siblings.”

“But, why would she care now?” Claude asked, voice soft.

Felix laughed, rolling his eyes. “She was the one who killed them to begin with. I don’t know why she wanted to bring them back. There was no love lost between them and her. Maybe it was guilt? Maybe it was something else. Who knows.”

He drew in a breath, frowning as he shifted in the bed.

“We can discuss this later, when you’re out of the hospital. It’s good to have you back, Felix.” Edelgard smiled at him, turning to the door. “I’m only sorry that I wasn’t able to get you your job back.”

Felix’s frown turned into a grimace. “I think I’ve had enough mysteries in my lifetime, but thanks.”

Edelgard nodded. “Of course. I believe I skipped lunch and may go find that cafeteria your father mentioned.”

Felix watched her walk out, turning his gaze to Claude. The man was still hovering, half sitting in his chair before he fell all the way in. “We were worried you weren’t going to make it.”

“I survived being poisoned once, what’s a little more-”

“What?”

Felix took in the worry in Claude’s eyes, letting out a sigh. “Sorry, there was another poison attempt, but that didn’t go well either. Maybe I’m immune.”

“I was so worried you weren’t going to come back.”

Felix shifted as Claude looked up at him, his eyes wide.

Claude took the chance to forge on. “Every day, I was worried that… that you would just be gone and we wouldn’t know. When Ferdinand came back, I was terrified. Then, you show up with some chick, half dead, bleeding out, and poisoned? I thought it was a cruel joke.” Claude ran a hand through his hair, staring down at Felix. Felix met his gaze, tilting his head to the side. “I was afraid that you would die.”

Felix fixed him with a stare, his mouth falling into a frown. “Whatever Rhea was trying, the generals were trying to put a stop to it. Yuri wanted to take Rhea down and Sylvain-”

He stopped, closing his eyes.

“Sylvain?”

“He is… an old childhood friend.” Felix let the words linger in the air, grimacing. The silence settled around them, Claude shaking himself.

“What about Sylvain?” he prompted, voice gentle.

“I wanted him to come back.” Felix blinked, turning to look at Claude. “But he wouldn’t because his heart had been replaced and one of those things lived in him. The magic is all connected to her. Once she dies, they all die.”

Claude hesitated. “He could have-”

“No, he couldn’t have. It wouldn’t have been enough. They thrive in darkness.” Felix closed his mouth, staring up at the ceiling once more. It was more than he had meant to say, but the words hung in the air now.

“I’m glad you’re alive.” Claude sat back down in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. He ran a hand through his hair, eyes narrowed. “I was so worried that you would turn up dead. I dreaded the day we got the news. It didn’t come but then you showed up and…” He let out a huff.

“And?” Felix prompted, in return of Claude’s early prodding.

“I would have missed you, a lot.”

Felix frowned, closing his eyes. “Well, I’m alive.”

Claude nodded, resting his hands on his legs. “Yeah, you are.”

“Got something else to add?”

Claude shifted. “Next undercover mission you go on, make sure I can still contact you.”

“Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of undercover?” Felix asked, shifting to look at him. “Besides, I’m not going back to the force.”

Claude ran a hand through his hair, letting out a sigh. “Yeah, Edelgard is apparently commanded to shut down the Underground task force. Now that the entrances are cut off…”

“They were starting a war,” Felix muttered, “Yuri and the rest.”

“Why would they want to start a war?” Claude asked.

Felix huffed. “The Underground only survives as it does because of Rhea. She has the place under her lock and key. No matter what, she could be the one everything goes through. Without her in the way, the Underground could move on.”

“What is the Underground, exactly?”

Felix drew in a breath. “It was meant to be the final home of the Nabateans, when they fled from above ground in order to escape people killing them. But, that didn’t happen. Sothis died and… they fought among themselves anyway.”

“Okay.” Claude nodded to himself, watching Felix. They sat like that for several more minutes, Claude glancing towards the window. His eyes sparkled as he turned back to Felix. “Hey, happy holidays.”

“Is it December?”

Claude nodded. “Christmas is in like, four days. I was supposed to go home for the holidays, but I told my parents that I had to stay behind.”

“Were they upset?” Felix asked.

Claude shrugged. “It’s something we can work out later. You’re important to me, Felix, and I don’t want to lose that.”

Felix frowned at him before he sighed. “Thank you, Claude. And happy holidays to you, too.”


	2. Confirmations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got distracted writing other stuff and then forgot to work on anything fanfic related, but here's the next installment of the series!
> 
> (Be distracted, I mean... it's been an interesting last couple of days?)

Felix stormed into the apartment, dropping his keys on the stand by the door. He turned as he heard water turn off, taking in a breath to calm himself.

Midday sun streamed through the windows, Felix crossing his arms as he stood in the doorway. He heard the click of a bathroom door, Claude stepping into the hallway wearing only a towel. He turned to glance at Felix, opening his mouth-

“Can I move in with you?”

Claude blinked, glancing from the doorway to the hallway. “Hello, Felix, nice of you to drop by. I’m doing well, thanks for asking.”

Felix only arched an eyebrow as Claude adjusted his towel. He cleared his throat, taking a look over Felix.

“Why do you want to move in so suddenly?”

Felix blinked. He glanced away from Claude, crossing his arms over his chest. “My father is getting on my nerves.”

It had been two months since he had left the hospital. Two months of his father hovering, of the media trying to get his attention. There had been too much of that, when they found out he was one of the only people able to flee the Underground before the entrances collapsed.

At present, it was decided that whatever gang had been hiding down there decided to close themselves off, to restrict access to their world.

Felix had seen the surge of deaths from the fringe members, everyone who had been marked by one general or another. A compromise, some had insisted.

It had brought the bitter taste of disgust to the back of his mouth when he saw just how far spread the damage was.

“Felix?”

He blinked when Claude called his name, shaking his head. “Anyway, my dad has been obnoxious. Do you need a roommate?”

Claude frowned. “I don’t need a roommate, but if you need a place to live, you are welcome here.”

Felix nodded. “Very well, I… appreciate it.”

“Not a problem.” Claude studied him, frowning. “Are you okay, Felix?”

Felix opened his mouth, shaking his head after a moment. “I’m just frustrated with my father, is all.”

“Do you miss him?”

Felix frowned at the question, glancing at Claude. He took a moment, closing his eyes. “Why don’t you put on clothes before we have this conversation?”

Claude opened his mouth before he shut it, nodding and heading towards his room. Felix looked around the apartment, heading to the couch and sat. When he came back out, Felixl looked up from his phone, putting it in his pocket.

“So, your dad is really that annoying?” Claude asked, sitting across from Felix.

Felix rolled his eyes. “I didn’t want to live at home for the rest of my life.”

“Of course, of course.” Claude held up his hands, eyes gleaming. “You are more than welcome to live here! I’m more than happy to take you in.”

There was an awkward pause, Felix glancing away. When Claude didn’t bring up the earlier question, he posed his own.

“Have you heard anything from Edelgard?”

Claude paused at the question, shaking his head. “Nope, can’t say that I have. Besides, I thought you weren’t supposed to be looking into anything related to the Underground?”

Felix narrowed his eyes, glancing away. “Just a question.”

“Right... I’m good with you living here. Are you working yet?” Claude asked, glancing around the space. Felix shook his head, the man nodding. They settled down, working out the logistics and Felix thanked him, leaving the apartment before Claude could think about it any harder.

It wasn’t until Felix was stepping out of the apartment that Claude caught his wrist.

“Are you really okay, Felix?”

Felix hesitated, shifting his gaze away. “I’ll be fine.”

“If you… want to talk about Sylvain, or anything-”

Felix drew in a breath, his gaze softening as he studied Claude. “Maybe, one day, I’ll be ready to talk about it.”

Claude nodded, dropping his wrist. “See you tomorrow.”

Felix gave him a nod, leaving the apartment with only one last look back. Claude drew in a breath, locking his door behind him and letting out a groan, resting his forehead on the wood.

~*~*~*~*~

“You got mail.”

Felix frowned when he heard Claude’s voice, accepting the package that was handed to him. He flipped it over, grimacing. “There’s no address.”

“Huh?” Claude paused, glancing at Felix before looking at the package. Felix’s name was written in a curving font, but otherwise it was blank.

Felix eyed it, tearing off the top before Claude could stop him. He pulled out the crystal, shuddering as it thrummed in his hands, the crest of Fraldarius looking back at him.

Lines were carved behind the crest, connecting in the back and gleaming. Where it had once held color, the crystal was drained of it, sparkling when Felix held it up.

“What is that thing?”

“I’m going to guess a heart.” Felix tossed it up, catching it as it hurtled downwards.

“There is no way that thing is a heart.”

Felix glanced at him, sighing. “It’s the heart of a dead Nabatean, probably drained of whatever sustained it.”

“If it’s related to the Underground-”

“No.” Felix shook his head, staring at the crystal. “This… means Glenn is dead, truly dead. I mean… if they were… replacing him anyway, they would have needed to kill him first but...”

They had only talked about what happened a few times. There had been one report that Felix had submitted, but it had never gone anywhere. Felix didn’t mention it, didn’t want to bother with it when he started at an assistant teaching position for fencing.

“Glenn was dead, died years ago. Rhea replaced his heart with that of the Nabatean, Fraldarius. It was what was sustaining him, in the dark.” Felix slipped the crystal into his pocket, getting up from the couch. “You can’t tell Edelgard.”

Claude hesitated, eyes flashing before he relented, letting out a sigh. “Fine, I won’t tell Edelgard about the creepy heart that showed up in our mail. Are you okay?”

Felix glanced at him, offering him a shrug before he headed towards his room. “I’ll be fine.”

Claude nodded, watching him go.

~*~*~*~*~

Felix sat at the kitchen table, staring down at the crystal. It was different from the one that Rhea had given him to carry around. Where that one had been a solid crystal, this one held faint lines, showing where the colors had been bled out of it.

He grimaced, reaching over and folding the cloth back over it.

The knock on the door brought Felix’s attention back to the present and he placed the wrapped crystal in his pocket, making his way to the door.

Summer heat entered the apartment as he opened the door, watching as Ingrid fidgeted before him. Her hair was tied back, eyes marred by dark circles underneath.

“Hi, can I… come in?” She gestured, motions awkward and Felix stepped to the side.

“You look like shit.”

Ingrid stared at him, letting out a scoff. “Probably because Brandi doesn’t actually sleep through the night.”

“Ah.”

Felix hesitated, shuffling further away from the door. “Well, how have you been, Ingrid? Would you… like something to drink?”

He hadn’t seen Ingrid beyond a brief hospital visit when he first returned. There had been a promise to speak with her about it, later. But, later never happened because she had been busy. And Felix hadn’t extended an invitation for her to come over.

“Sure, I’ll take some water! And I’ve been okay, Ashe is home right now. He got extra time off to… help with everything. But…” she hesitated, gaze shifting away from Felix. Ingrid sat at the table, Felix placing a glass of water down for her and grabbing a soda for himself. He looked at the fridge and promised that he would go grocery shopping later.

“You want to know what happened.”

Ingrid nodded, her mouth pressed into a thin line.

Felix let out a sigh. “Well… Rhea was completely crazy, which I’m sure you knew.”

“She was crazy enough to make Miklan a general.”

Felix felt a smile tug at the edge of his lips. “She wanted him for the fact that he might have born the Gautier crest. The plan was to kill him and revive the Gautier sibling using his body.”

He watched the emotions on Ingrid’s face, her mouth set into a firm frown. “So, was he still down there when-”

“No.” Felix shook his head. “That body that we found in June was actually his body. From what Claude said, they were able to compare DNA and got a match.”

“Did he become a monster?” Ingrid asked.

Felix shook his head. “I don’t know what happened, but… Sylvain ended up becoming the host of the Gautier spirit.”

“Oh.”

They sat in silence, Felix taking a sip of his soda as Ingrid moved to toy with the glass in front of her.

“So, Sylvain… he’s still down here?”

Felix grimaced, biting the inside of his cheek and looking away. “I wouldn’t go looking for him, Ingrid. He won’t…” Felix paused, drawing in a breath and letting out a sigh, “even if he wanted to, he will not come back to the surface.”

“You talked to him.”

Felix nodded. “He… saved my life-”

“You were found nearly dead!” Ingrid jumped up from her chair, her voice rising. “How is that _saving your life_ , Felix? Saving your life would have-”

“There was no other choice. It was either he sent me out right then, or I became the new host of the Fraldarius spirit.”

Ingrid froze. “But-”

Felix shook his head. “From what some of the others had said, the Blaiddyd and Fraldarius spirits were her best attempts, in the beginning. I’m assuming she tried before, but she never got far. It’s… has Edelgard heard from Hanneman at all?”

Ingrid shook her head. “No, he… vanished. Manuela filed a missing person’s report, about a week after you returned. She hadn’t seen him in nearly two weeks, but she thought he was just busy with work.”

“He was looking into detecting crests in people, wasn’t he?”

Ingrid nodded, brushing hair out of her face. She took another sip of her water, eyes blank. “Do you think he was giving her information?”

Felix grimaced. “If he could track down who had crest magic in their blood, he would have to use genealogy records to see what line they were related to.”

“Annette.”

Felix froze, gaze darting to Ingrid. “That’s…”

“He tested her blood, shortly before she disappeared. But, if he was doing that and Linhardt was tracking down the genealogy, why would he send Linhardt down?”

“Because Flayn was able to access his memories. If she was able to do that, she would have been able to help with the genealogy research. And it would mean one less connection to him, if his assistant disappeared.” Felix drummed his fingers against the table, letting out a soft curse.

“If he’s Underground…”

Felix shook his head. “They’re in the middle of a war. I doubt that Rhea will have time to try and resurrect more of her dead siblings. Besides, if Yuri and his group triumph, anyone that she resurrected will…”

Ingrid frowned at him as Felix trailed off. He reached a hand up, pinching the bridge of his nose. Even in the full light of the day, there were still moments where he could feel the dark creeping up on him. He could hear the sounds of swords crashing.

“What will happen?” Ingrid asked.

“The… spirits will die. And their host bodies have been surviving off the energy the spirits give, because it all stems from Rhea. They will die.”

“Oh. Missing… hearts.”

Felix glanced away. “I…” he swallowed, shaking his head, “it’s over and done with. There’s nothing else that we can do.”

“So, you’re just giving up?” Ingrid demanded, her voice rising in pitch. “You’re just… writing them all off as dead, Felix? What the hell-”

“I would have been dead, too, if it weren’t for Sylvain!” Felix snapped, narrowing his eyes, “there’s nothing left for us down there.”

“But our friend-”

“Is going to die, regardless if we try to step in and help him. He knows that.” Felix shifted, pressing a hand to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric. “Rhea would have gone after anyone she could have for her sick, twisted games. The Underground is no longer _my_ problem. If you want to throw your life away, trying to help people that do not _want_ it, then be my guest.” He stood up from the table, staring Ingrid down. “But I don’t watch you do it.”

Ingrid opened her mouth, her gaze falling to the table. “So, that’s it?”

Felix nodded. “I’m done playing games with the past. I’m done trying to figure out what it means. My-” he hesitated, swallowing back the tears that threatened to spill over, “just, leave it alone, Ingrid. You have a family. Be there for them.”

Ingrid swallowed, her hands shaking. “Fine. Be that way.” She stood up, turning to the door. “But I’m not giving up, not until-”

“They’re gone, Ingrid. You saw what had become of Dimitri while you were down there. Do you really think…” Felix drew in a breath, “I… I don’t want to fight over _this_ , Ingrid. Maybe, when it’s been longer, we can have a discussion. But, right now? There’s no point.”

Ingrid nodded, turning away from him. “As you wish, Felix. I only hope that you can see the mistakes that you are making.”

Felix watched as she left the apartment, collapsing back into his seat with a huff. He took another sip of his drink before getting up and collecting Ingrid’s glass to put it in the sink.


	3. Sylvain's Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was actually finished sometime back in.... jeez, May? It's been around for a while and hasn't changed much!
> 
> Hahaha, oops, unexpected hiatus there. Uh, shit went down personal life, and I was having wrist/arm issues that made it painful to do much writing. But, I should have this finished by next week.
> 
> Thank you for sticking around and I hope you enjoy!

Sylvain let out a gasp, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth. With his eyes shut, he could still feel the hands press down on the bone, letting the faith magic flood his leg.

He opened his eyes when the hands were removed, moving to look at Hapi. Her eyes were distant, her face covered in sweat and Sylvain let out a huff.

"Why are you..."

It had been a question he had asked them multiple times. Hapi just shook her head, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

"Come on, Syl, you're important to us. Yuri doesn't want to see you die, either."

Sylvain choked back a laugh, his hand curling around the shaft of the lance. He pushed himself up, using the lance as a walking stick, hesitant to put his full weight on the barely healed bone. He had splintered it once before that way, putting too much weight on it before it was ready.

Hapi dusted her hands off on her dress. "Besides, we're getting close to facing Rhea down herself. She's locked herself away, in the sanctuary, and Yuri's determined to end this before more destruction happens to the Underground. He wants you there."

Sylvain let out a huff. The moment they had gotten Felix out of the Underground, the true war had begun. Byleth had taken down the Blaiddyd spirit, the others had fallen into place, and Rhea had been pissed to find herself with only the mages and Seteth at her side.

What they had learned was how Rhea could crush a crest stone from inside someone’s chest if they drew too close. Flayn had been their first casuality as she tried to explain to Rhea the consequences of her actions.

It was simple, swaying the others to their side. They had done that ages ago, before Rhea had started her mad dash for resurrecting the spirits. With the success of Seteth, she had pushed herself harder and harder, now she could barely control them.

They had started declining, more mistakes had been made.

The center had been claimed by Rhea, the third circle nearly destroyed in her rampage. The people in the second circle were fightened, but had agreed to help, once Yuri spoke with them. The past several months had been bloody, long, exhausting. There was little manuvering they could do, with the third circle laying as a boundary between them and her.

Had the death been worth it?

"Sylvain!"

He jerked his head back as Hapi called his name, snapping her fingers in his face.

"Stop thinking about it, she's trying to get you to believe you're doing the wrong thing. Come on," Hapi murmured, holding her hand out to him, "let's regroup with Yuri."

Sylvain nodded, taking her hand and letting her pull him through the ruins. The outer defenses of Garreg Mach were in shambles, Seteth's lifeless body lay on the steps of the sanctuary where Rhea had barred herself in.

One last plea to someone who would never be willing to help him.

He learned all of this when they regrouped with the others. He leans against the table, hands shaking and his face pale. Yuri gives him a look and Sylvain shakes his head.

"When are we planning on making an attack?"

Byleth swept their gaze over the group, landing on Yuri and tilting their head.

Perhaps that had been the most surprising addition to their group, the reason Rhea had gotten so angry, when Byleth sided with Yuri over her. When Byleth had been willing to kill another spirit for them instead of defend Rhea, but they all understood the consequences of their actions.

"In two days' time. She'll have time to prepare, but there's not much that she can do. We need your leg to heal," Yuri said.

Sylvain nodded and closed his eyes. When the meeting broke, he held up a hand to beckon Yuri over, his eyes half lidded.

Yuri ushered the others out, joining Sylvain at the table. "How does your leg feel?"

Sylvain shrugged, opening his eyes to meet Yuri's gaze. "Nothing that won't be fine in two days. Are we sure Rhea won't make a move first?"

Yuri nodded, letting out a sigh. "There's no way she can summon enough forces to beat us down. We have to worry about her using magic to summon something, obviously, but..." He gave Sylvain a one shoulder shrug. "Other than that, we just have to hope for the best."

The concern was the professor that had appeared, the one who claimed he could tell who bore crest blood. They had seen the horror that Lorenz Gloucster had become when she rushed too soon to make another spirit.

"When Rhea dies..." Sylvain murmured.

Yuri nodded, reaching out and touching Sylvain's shoulder with a frown. "What do you want me to do?"

"Tell Felix that it's over. Give him the lance and the shield."

Yuri frowned at him. "We're going to destroy those."

Sylvain nodded. "Yeah, but... I just... please?"

Yuri nodded, frowning. "I don't agree with it, but I'll do as you requested."

"Felix will know what to do with them."

"Sylvain..."

Sylvain stood up, still using the lance as a crutch, walking towards the door. "Two days' time Yuri, and you have to give Felix the shield and lance once this is over. He should know what happened. I… just want… do you think you can find him?”

The thought ate at him, from the inside out. Each time he touched the lance, he could imagine the feeling of Felix in his arms, of the blood that soaked his clothing. Of Lysithea’s horrified stare and how Balthus couldn’t confirm if he had made it out alive.

Yuri let out a sigh. “I don’t know, honestly. If he hasn’t left the city, yes.”

Sylvain nodded, glancing away.

He left that room, feeling a weight off his shoulders. A final goodbye, knowledge that he was truly gone. A way to let Felix know that he was gone, but the Underground was safe and would never bother him again.

It was weird how Felix, who had filled so little of his thoughts until he was dragged into the Underground, became his last thought as he charged Rhea down, the white dragon that was curled around an empty coffin, mechanical dolls her only guardians, the mages laying slain on the ground.

He felt pain pierce him as Rhea was brought down, Yuri leading the charge, Byleth at his side. The lance clattered from his grip and he fell to his knees, dragging in a breath.

He had seen it before, when Dominic had been slaughtered by Rhea. Her heart had shattered, setting off an explosion and he closed his eyes, holding his breath.

The last few seconds before pain took him. The last thought-

The pain eased and he opened his eyes, staring at the sky. Above him, an angry looking Felix, no older than six, was pouting, poking Sylvain in the shoulder and complaining about being bored.

He stood up, brushing off the back of his pants and offered to play with him, to cure him of his boredom until Dimitri returned and Ingrid was free to play with them.


	4. Renewed Beginnings

Felix lifted the sword up higher, his shoulder twinging in pain before he lowered it, letting out a huff. He had moved the furniture in the living room, giving him the space he needed to train. His gaze darted to the window, the curtains pulled back and the blinds open to allow the sunlight to stream in.

The afternoon was perfect, the sun shining and yet-

"There's a package for you?"

Claude came through the door, hauling in the package. He stopped when he saw the sword pointed at him, glancing up at Felix with a frown.

"Is this... did you... Do I want to know?" he asked, glancing around the living room. “Is this one of your weird weapon collecting things?”

Felix let out a huff, sheathing the sword and putting it on the moved couch. "I was practicing, since I still can't do anything interesting."

A year and a half of recovery hadn't quite been enough time for Felix to recuperate from the Underground. He still didn't care for the dark, still didn't care for a lot of things. Even now, the scar on his chest twinged in pain if he moved too fast. There was still that faint phantom heartbeat that appeared and he was tired of being useless.

Claude looked at him for a moment, dragging the package further into the living room.

"Well, if you've been here all day, I don't know how you managed to miss... this."

Felix glanced at it, shifting his stance and shaking his head. "I was listening to music earlier, probably didn't hear the knock when they dropped it off. I didn't order anything. I have enough weapons and most of the online ones are shit."

With his free time, he had been learning to forge his own, when his body let him.

Claude raised an eyebrow. "Well, I would hope not, because there's no actual address on it, just your name."

Felix squinted at the package, stepping forward and placing his hand on it. He stepped away, turning to go into the kitchen and grab a knife.

"So, how are you doing?" Claude asked as Felix stalked back to the box. He jabbed the knife through the tap, cutting it open at the seam.

"I've been frustrated. It doesn't look like I'll be going back as a police detective." Felix set the knife to the side as he finished with cutting the tape. He laid the box out, running his hand along the first flap.

"You knew that and you're still trying to recover-" Claude began.

"They're not going to take me back, period. We may have been able to stop the Crest Carver from continuing to kill, but we didn't actually catch the man. I disappeared in the middle of an investigation. They won't accept me back as a police, or a detective, or even a Private Eye." He had known that he wouldn’t go back since he had woken up in the hospital. But, some part of him still hoped that he could go back.

A foolish notion, if there ever was one.

Felix looked at the bubble wrap, pulling it out and shoving the box to the side. Claude looked in the box, frowning as Felix began unrolling the object.

"I'm sure there's something else that you would enjoy doing," Claude began, frowning.

Felix let out a sigh, hands stilling as a piece of paper became dislodged from the wrapping. He set it to the side for a moment, rolling his shoulders. "I'll figure out something else that I can do. The local gym is looking for a fencing instructor."

He finished the unwrapping, watching as the lance clattered to the floor from its imprisonment. Somewhere, that faint second heartbeat became noticeable, his eyes widening ever so slightly. He snatched up the two pieces of paper that had fluttered out of the box, looking at the familiar script of the first before reading the unfamiliar script of the second.

_Good evening,_

_Rhea has fallen and, with her, so have her projects. As per his last wish, Sylvain wanted the lance to find its way to you. Keep it, destroy it, do what you wish with it. The magic that once bound it to this existence is gone and it will be lifeless for the rest of its existence._

_The Underground has been under new management for some time now and we will remain as we agreed, quiet and unsuspecting. There is still magic, but it is not as it was. We will adapt, and so will you. Do not let the past hold you back._

_We did kill the professor that appeared, right before you vanished. If it’s of any use to your police, he was assisting Rhea with abominations they were trying to pass as spirits. His name was Hanneman._

_Goodbye Felix,  
The Bird_

Felix stared at the words, glancing back at the lance.

"So, what... is this thing?" Claude asked, squatting down next to Felix.

"It's a weapon," Felix snapped.

Claude rolled his eyes, the smile still fixed on his face despite the hostility in Felix’s voice. "And here I thought it was a fancy stick. But, what's it for?"

"It's the Lance of Ruin."

"That's... such a pleasant name. Please tell me you're not going to put that thing in our bedroom, please, Felix. It's creepy."

Felix let out a huff, shaking his head. "You should have seen the bow, Failnaught, if you wanted creepy. A whole bow, made out of bone. At least this thing, it's just the head. Which means those are probably rib bones."

Claude jerked his hand back from one of the eight spikes he had been about to touch.

"There were... ten of these weapons? I don’t know if they had an official name but they were made from the bones of Rhea's dead siblings, the other Nabateans. Linhardt showed me what was once their throne room with all the weapons that had remained. She was trying to resurrect them."

The main reason Felix had been dismissed from the police force. He shifted, rolling his shoulders back. The whole mess with the Underground had just gotten too deep into fantasy for them to be okay with explanation.

"And this one...?" Claude asked, glancing at it.

"The last wielder was Sylvain."

Claude nodded, reaching out for Felix's shoulder. Felix let him, closing his eyes.

In the weeks that followed Felix's return, he had moved in with Claude, finding out that he had abandoned his apartment when payments were no longer going through. He had very little to his name, but his father had been willing to help, offering him what he could once they had a long, long talk.

Felix had submitted to the hospital testing, to being treated, to being put on whatever medications they deemed fit. And it had helped, in its own way.

Now, he scrubbed a hand across his face.

"And Sylvain is..."

Felix shook his head. "When we were kids, we made this stupid promise that we would die together. We would always laugh over it, because it was such a stupid promise. Who knew where we would have ended up in ten years? We were kids. But... he's... well, he's dead now, isn't it? And I'm still... here."

"You don't know that."

Felix shook his head. "Why else... would they send that? Rhea is dead. He would have died with her."

"Maybe to ensure that they can never fall into the wrong hands? He loved you and you love him." Claude drew Felix into his arms, letting out a huff.

“It should have been his body on the board.” It had been the last piece of information that Felix had kept from the investigation, the piece he wanted to keep to himself until he was certain he could handle the truth.

Claude frowned at him. “What?”

“Rhea tried the Rite of Rebirth with Miklan, back in June, when the body with the crest of Gautier turned up. It went wrong and turned Miklan… into a monster and Rhea used Sylvain instead to complete the ritual. She replaced his heart with the heart of her dead sibling and killed him to make him new. She did the same with Dimitri, though she had tried with Lambert. She did that with everyone that she killed and she only had a few successes.” Felix ran a hand over his face, grumbling. His chest ached as he spoke and he moved his free hand to touch it.

The ache was dull, but he could still feel the slice of the blade in his skin. The scar was there, mocking him until he learned to shower with the lights off, unable to bear looking at it.

"We can get rid of it, if you wanted,” Claude suggested, “though it looks like there's something else in the box, too."

Felix shook Claude off him, reaching out and dragging the box towards him. Another package sat, wrapped, and he sighed, picking it up. The familiar shape, the pulse of something responding to him. He uncovered the shield, the one thing he had to leave behind.

"Is that... also bone?" Claude asked, studying it.

"Yeah, yeah it is."

"What do you want to do?"

Felix set the shield aside, shuffling to sit next to Claude. "I don't know, I guess... we'll hold onto them for now. If the magic is gone, they’re worthless."

Claude nodded, holding his hand out to Felix. "We'll get through this, together."

Felix nodded, taking his hand and letting himself be enveloped in the hug, leaning against Claude. He stared at the weapons, sighing.

“We can’t tell anyone that we have them.”

“Edelgard.”

Felix nodded. “I’ll tuck them away in the spare room. The only person who might understand what they are is Ferdinand and he won’t bother me about them.”

The strange friendship had bloomed over the better part of the year, the two men learning to support and help each other. It was a blessing. Felix drew in a breath, tilting his head back before he laughed. Claude gave him a look, raising an eyebrow.

“What’s so funny?”

Felix shook his head. “The last time I tried to talk to Sylvain, he gave me a letter. Now, he left one for me and I don’t know if I want to read it.” He picked up the second letter, folded in three. He turned it over, seeing his name in Sylvain’s script.

“Are you going to read it?” Claude asked.

Felix considered the letter, shaking his head.

“No, I don’t think I will.”

He placed the letter next to the lance, resting his head back against Claude’s shoulder. Claude wrapped an arm around Felix’s waist, a smile tugging at his lips.

“Aren’t you even the little bit curious?”

Felix shook his head, “no. I don’t think I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, TBH, this was the original epilogue. But there was a lot... less. Like, Felix and Lysithea popped up from the Underground before things Really Went to Shit and he had a cup of coffee while explaining everything to Edelgard and Claude.
> 
> As you can see, this ending went a lot... different.
> 
> Thank you for sticking around and I hope you enjoyed your time reading!
> 
> This whole thing started with a letter that never got read, so why don't we end it with a letter that will never be read in turn.


End file.
